Stretching-machine.



H. l. MORRIS.

STRETCHING-MACHINE.

APPLICATION VFILED Nov. I8. 1916.

@W2/Wm sa UNITED STATES PATENT CFFIQFQ.

HOWARD I. MORRIS, OF SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA., ASSIGNOR TQ Tfr-IE SAVAGE TIRE COMPANY, 0F SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA, A CORPORATION OF CALIFORNIA.

STRETCHING-IVIACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented lidar. 13, 1917.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, HOWARD I. Monats, a citizen of the United States, residing at San Diego, in the county of San Diego and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Stretching-Machines, of which the following is a specication.

This invention relates to stretching machines, and more particularly to machines for stretching endless bands and the like, of various natures, one use to which the machine can be put being the stretching of beads for pneumatic tires, though many other uses will readily suggest themselves. In the stretching of such beads and the like, it is desirable that all zones of the same be subjected to the same pressure to the end that the bead or the like may be evenly stretched and afterward be of equal tensile strength or in uniform condition throughout. To this end a pair or plurality of segmental or semicircular members are -employed, each such members being provided with a plurality of rollers or anti-friction devices and such members are arranged to be forced apart in the stretching operation and are arranged for collapsion to permit the ready placing of beads or the like in position for stretching and the removal of the same after the stretching operation. In the specific form of the device disclosed in the drawing a xed member is provided on a suitable base and may have associated therewith a cylinder, and a movable member is shown as provided with a piston fitting into the cylinder, whereby upon the application of pressure to said piston in said cylinder the movable member isy forced in a direction away from said fixed member, the pressure being subject to control through suitable controlling means whereby the actuation of the device may be governed and admission and exhaust of a pressure medium to and from the cylinder controlled. Means associated with the movable member may be provided for releasing the pressure in the cylinder at any desired point in the travel of the movable member'. By admitting liquid under pressure to the cylinder great power may be exerted by the device in its stretching action.

A Vfurther object of the invention is to provide a device of the general character stated which will be relatively simple and inexpensive in construction and organization, when its other features of superiority in great stretching power, economy of operation, etc., are considered, and which will be generally superior in reliability and serviceability.

W' ith the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel and useful provision, formation, combination, association and relative arrangement of parts, members and features, all as hereinafter described, shown in the drawing and finally pointed out in claims.

In the drawing:

Figure l is a front elevation of a stretching machine constructed and organized 1n accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the machine shown in Fig. l; and

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 3-3, Fig. 2, and looking in the direction of the appended arrows.

Corresponding parts in all the figures are designated by the same reference characters.

Referring with particularity to the drawing, in the embodiment of the invention therein shown, A designates a .fixed jaw of a stretching machine, B designates the movable jaw thereof, C designates power means for actuating said movable jaw, D designates controlling means for a pressure means whereby the admission and exhaust of pressure medium to said actuating means is controlled, and E designates a supporting base for the stretching machine.

The fixed jaw A preferably comprises a semicircular member 4 having outwardly facing channels 5 formed therein, and a plurality of cylindrical rollers 7 pivotally mounted in said channels and generally distributed along the periphery of the semicircular member 4.-. rIhe semicircular member 4L may be formed integrally with a column 8 of the base E, and a cylinder 9 comprised within the means C may likewise be formed integrally with said base and with said member. The cylindrical rollers 7 are prevented from moving endwise by the side walls l() and ll of the channels Y channels 5` the rollers being so mounted on their` pivots that the roller peripheries project slightly beyond the edge of the semicircular member as at 7a.

The channels 5, one of which is provided at each side of the cylinder 9 as clearly illustrated in Fig. 3, are separated by the head 9 of the cylinder 9, the other end of the cylinder being open to receive and permit the reciprocation of a plunger 14 in said cylinder. Packing means 9b may be provided around the plunger 14 and held in place by a cylinder head or packing gland 9C. The piston 14 is comprised within the means C and supports the movable jaw B, being fitted thereto as at 15.

The movable jaw B comprises a semi-cylindrical member or segment 16 channeled as at 17 at opposite sides of the point of connection with the plunger 14, and a plurality of rollers or antifriction devices 18 provided in the channels 17 and generally distributed along the periphery of the segment 16. These rollers 18 are pivotally secured in said channels 17 as by means of pivots or pintles 19 passed through the side walls 20 and 21 of the channels 17. The rollers 18 project slightly beyond the periphery of the segment,16. A boss 22 is provided for the reception of the plunger as at 15 and such boss separates the channels 17 as the cylinder head 9a separates the channels 5 of the lower jaw or member A. This boss 22 and the cylinder 9@L are rounded to conform to the contour of the remaining portion of the respective segments or jaws, and assist in the stretching action when the device is in operation. l

The controlling means D preferably comprises a valve device d, and means lf for operating the same. A pressure medium supply pipe 23 is provided and the same leads from a suitable source of pressure liquid supply or the like to the controlling valve d, and an exhaust pipe 24 for the pressure medium leads from said valve or valve means d to a suitable point of liquid or fluid discharge. A further pipe or conduit is provided and the same communicates with the casing of the valve or valve means (Z and with the interior of the cylinder 9 as through a port 9d provided in the cylinder wall. This port communicates with the cylinder, prei'- erably at a chamber 9e formed therein and at the lower portion of the piston or plunger 14. The valve means d may be of any preferred or standard construction, the only requirement being that it be adapted to establish communication as between the conduit 25 and the pipe 23 or the conduit 25 and the pipe 24. An operating lever 26 for the valve means is provided and the same may be pivoted to the valve casing as at 26a and otherwise connected with valve features so that by upward movement of the lever communication will be established as between the pipe or conduit 25 and the discharge pipe 24, and by downward movement of the lever this communication will be cut ott and communication established as between the supply pipe 23 and the pipe or conduit 25. This lever 26 is comprised within the means d. Such means (Z may also include a collar or lug 27 associated with the movable jaw B and disposed so that in the movement ot the jaw B the lug will contact with the lever 26 to lift the same and reverse the connections as between the pipes 25, 23 and 24.

Guide means may be provided to insure proper alinement of the movable jaw and such guide means may comprise a plurality of' bars or slides 28, each secured to the movable jaw as at 28a and passed through suitable bearings 29 provided on the lower or fixed jaw A and out of the Zone of application of the work or bands to be stretched.

The operation, method of use and advantages of the improved stretching machine will be readily understood from the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing and the following statement:

A bead, band or other article to be stretched, or a plurality of the same, may be placed over the jaws when in contracted position, and upon the application oi pressure admitted through the pipe 23 past the controlling means or valve d to the interior of the cylinder 9 the plunger 14 will be forced outwardly, and in the form shown in the drawing, upwardly, carrying with it the jaw B, and continued application of pressure results in the thorough stretching of such beads or bands as may encircle the jaws.

The collar 27 may be made adjustable with respect to the jaw B as by means ot a. set screw 27a, and the same may be so adjusted that it contacts with the lever 26 of the controlling means at the proper point in the travel of the jaw B to cause the reversal of connections of pipes 25, 23 and 24 hereinbefore referred to, to the end that, pressure admitted when the valve lever 26 is down, will be cut off by the raising of the valve lever 26 and the movement of the parts associated therewith, so that the fluid previously admitted to the cylinder may be discharged through the conduit 25 past the valve means l and through the discharge conduit 24. By so discharging the uid the jaws may come together, due to gravitation of the movable jaw downwardly, and other beads may be placed over the jaws so as to encircle both jaws in the place of the previously stretched beads. Upon moving the lever 26 downwardly, manually, or otherwise, the connections of the pipes will again be reversed, and pressure fluid may be admitted from the pipe 23 past the valve means D, through the pipe 25 to the interior of the cylinder and the beads then encircling the jaws stretched to the proper limit.

It will be understood that departure may be made from the specific disclosure herein,

and many useful applications of the device may be made, without departing from the spirit of the invention and the terms of the following claims:

Having thus disclosed my invention, I

claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent l. A machine of the character disclosed, comprising relatively separable members with which the work is to be engaged for stretching, means for relatively moving said members, and work-engaging means movably mounted upon one of said members in such manner that the work may freely stretch over said member.

2. A machine of the character disclosed, comprising relatively separable members with which the work is to be engaged for stretching, means for relatively moving said members, and work-engaging means mevably mounted upon both of said members in such manner that the work may freely stretch over said members.

3. A machine of the character disclosed,

.comprising relatively separable members ably mounted upon both of said members in such manner that the work may freely stretch over said members; said movably mounted means comprising a. plurality of rollers; said members being curved and said rollers being arranged with respect to each member in a series conforming to such curvature.

5. A machine of the character disclosed, comprising relatively separable members with which the work is to be engaged for stretching, means for relatively moving said members, and work-engaging means inevably mounted upon one of said members in such manner that the work may freely stretch over said members; means further being provided for limiting the relative movement of said members.

6. A machine of the character disclosed, comprising relatively separable members with which the work is to be engaged for stretching, means for relatively moving said members, and work-engaging means movably mounted upon both of said members in such manner that the Work may freely stretch over said members; said movably mounted means comprising a plurality of rollers; said members being curved and said rollers being arranged with respect to each member in a series conforming to such curvature; means further being provided for limiting the relative movement of said members.

7. A machine of the character disclosed, comprising relatively separable members with which the work is to be engaged for stretching, and means for relatively moving said members; said means comprising a movable piston operatively connected with one of said members, means for mounting the other of said members independently of said member with which said piston is operatively connected, and a cylinder in which a pressure medium is caused to act upon said piston.

8. A machine of the character disclosed, comprising relativelyseparable members with which the work is to be engaged for stretching, and means for relatively moving said members; said means comprising a movable piston operatively connected with one of said members, means for mounting the other of said members independently of said member with which said piston is operatively connected, and a cylinder in which a pressure medium is caused to act upon said piston; said members being provided each with a plurality of rollers for direct engagement with the work.

9. A machine of the character disclosed, comprising two relatively movable members to which the work is to be applied for stretching, one of said members being provided with a movable support and with grooved projections laterally thereof each provided with rollers, the other of said members being provided with a fixed support and with grooved projections laterally thereof each provided with rollers, said fixed support being provided with a cylinder for application of a pressure medium, and such movable support having a portion disposed in said cylinder.

In testimony whereof, I have signed myI name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HOWARD I. MORRIS.

C. P. TURNER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, '.D. C. 

